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Superintendent highlights CARES recognition team, expanded instruction time and partnerships

Westwood Heights Schools Board of Education ยท November 6, 2025
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Summary

Superintendent Keyes' report (delivered by staff) introduced a CARES staff recognition team and highlighted curricular work: a University of Michigan pre-service partnership at Hamady Elementary, a Flint Excellence math focus, intentional vocabulary and fluency work, and an additional 30 minutes of daily math instruction for elementary students.

The board received a superintendentreport that emphasized student supports, instructional programming and staff recognition.

Superintendent Keyes reported that the district has formed a CARES team (spelled C-A-R-E-S) composed of staff who will send weekly and monthly acknowledgements, share a daily spark and promote a culture of gratitude and connection across district schools; the CARES team members cited in the report were Miss Ennis, Miss Armour and Miss Harvey. The report described recent extracurricular and athletic activities, including the varsity boys football playoff appearance, ongoing volleyball tournaments hosted at Hamady Gym, and Halloween events across buildings.

Elementary-level updates described a University of Michigan partnership at Hamady Elementary that places 23 pre-service teachers in classrooms weekly, and a third year partnership with Flint Excellence that focuses this year on math (number corners). Principals described building-wide vocabulary initiatives, targeted fluency instruction, read-aloud routines, and added instructional minutes: the district has increased elementary math time from 60 to 90 minutes daily and expanded reading/writing blocks to allow additional practice and interventions. The report also noted peer-to-peer inclusion programs at McMonagle involving about 30 students and after-school literacy supports.

Middle-school and alternative-program reports highlighted positive marking-period results, PBIS planning (positive behavior support kickoff), mentoring programs (Distinguished Gentlemen, Sigma Brothers), and PLATO/online course completions at an alternative site (Academy West) where staff reported more than 300 term completions.

Board direction/next steps: principals will provide a comprehensive data presentation (NWEA, M-STEP, and other metrics) in a future board workshop; no policy changes were adopted at this meeting.

Ending: Board members thanked administrators for the reports and noted plans for a future data workshop when Superintendent Keyes returns.